St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-23

preston on her not uncomely face-ex-
tending the same begging hand and with
the identical piteous moan upon her
tongue | have always gone on the
theory that man who has lost his arm
or his leg or his eye is an objest OF
sympathy at all events; and inasmuch
as possibly it would be difficult for him
to earn his living by literal labor, and
the community don't care to support
him in hospital, there may be entire
justification for giving him five or
ten cents, with quarter for holiday.
And have also gone on the theory that
would rather be cheated dozen times
than allow a really suffering party to
pass unheeded. But the fact is that all
our street thoroughfares appear to be
farmed out systematically to men and
women who make beggary their trade,
and like other tradesmen find industry
profitable.
| have another rather curious case in
my mind.
1t is that Of fellow who looks as
though he was an East Indian, and sits
nearly all the time on curbstone on
Twenty third street, between Seventh
and Eighth avenues, holding in his hand
a bunch of pencils. The idea conveyed
by his attitude is that he is blind. His
face is shaded by his hat, and appears to
be badly marked with powder. 1t makes
no difference how hard it rains or SHOWS,
or how cold or hot the day, this fellow
very scantily clad and with no top-Coat
and often in slippers, without apparently
needing anyone-sits for hours and hours
-,tl L., =; md nd hot
upon his knee | nave tried him, now
ever once or twice, and don't believe he
is blind
The blind dodge is very easily counter
feited.
There is no more familiar figure in
New York than blind man who riddles
apparently say apparently because,
although he moves his bow over the
strings, | have never been able to hear
any music--at the corner of Fulton and
Water streets. And there is another
blind man. who stands at the corner Of
Park Place and New Church street, who
ALWAYS has his hat off and holds in his
hands bunch of pencils. | took in his
situation the other day and did not see
that he got any money; but of course he
must or he would not continue business
in the same stand for as many years as
he has
Both men when off duty are as jolly as
grigs.
The police never interfere with these
beggars, and do not know that there is
any reason why they should, for they
are inotfensive in their bearing and
rarely accOst any one. But ladies on
Fifth avenue and on all the great shop
ping thoroughfares are seriously annoyed
by four or five persistent old hays, who
accost them rudelv and Extensively,
thrusting with their foul hands a bunch
of those long black pins which women
use to fasten their hats on into their
faces and whining out the price. If a
lady to whom these wares are offered
pays no attention to the vender she is
followed and jostled and urged to pur-
chase. If she declines she is made the
object of further annoyance, and often
times, in order to avoid these creatures,
women go into stores or across the street
that they may be rid Of the importantly.
Another form of beggary here Is car
ried on by children, who, with one or
two oranges or box or so Of matches,
or few apples, 90 into offices and tell
pteous tales of suffering at home and ask
the people in the store or office, as the
case may be, to purchase their goods. In
many cases, rather than be bothered, a
man will throw them ten cents orr quar-
ter and tell them to get out But 1t is a
bad investment, for the word soon
spreads from child to child, and
good nature is certain to be victim
lied in the end They take it for granted
that the money will be given and the
oranges will not be taken. At the Park
Place station, of which | have written
above, every night stands young man
with his boot blacking utensils, and as
passengers come hurrying to catch a
train he drawls out his willingness to
black their boots for a cent, accompanied
by the assertion that he has had nothing
to eat for twenty-four hours and that his
mother is sick or father is dead, or some
equally narrowing assertion.
| never saw him black boots.
Of course, no man would permit him
to black his boots for a penny, and
equally of course, if man is rushing to
catch an uptown train late at night, he
is not going to stop to have his boots
BACKED at any price. The consequence
is that one is apt to say, Never mind
the backing; here is nickel for you,'
or dime, or whatever it is. The in
genuity of these fellows is notable, and
if it was devoted to some good end would
very likely bring about as rich return
| as they now get in this fast-growing
| nuisance.
/ Queer folks hereabouts. HOWARD.
The Roman ProhibitiOnists.